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I just don't know of anyone

I just don't know of anyone who has ever seen or heard of an NiMH battery exploding. Maybe get hot, smolder, and in extreme cases, catch fire if shorted out. They generally have too much internal resistance to explode.
Lithium batteries are a different story since they have less internal resistance and, with some, there is a 'thermal runaway' problem that can, if not carefully protected against, cause them to flare violently. It falls slightly short of an actual explosion but can be dangerous and dramatic nonetheless.
Of course, nothing in an electric car can compare with the hazards of a gasoline car that literally burns-alive hundreds of people each year and cause hundreds of thousands of car fires (or carbeques) and millions of dollars worth of damage. Of course, we only hear about these on traffic reports because they are a nuisance in our way.

I've had a hybrid for

I've had a hybrid for several years and it's never blown up, not a single time. I love it.

I did have a regular gas-powered Ford blow up when it was rear-ended. The other car got a dented fender and my tank of a Ford went up like a torch. Luckily, no one was inside or he/she would have been roasted instantly.

I certainly wouldn't generalize about hybrids based on the fact that one "blew up" for unknown reasons, not until the alternative has a perfect safety record.

That Lexus explosion was

Hi, I work for the West

Hi, I work for the West Memphis newspaper, The Evening Times, and we're currently writing the article about Dr. Pierce. The FBI is going through standard procedure to make sure this wasn't in fact a bomb. The explosion was massive, and as far as 4 blocks away windows were shaken and shelves rattled.

I'm not sure this is a major problem with Hybrids, but maybe production errors in the batteries?

In any case, people shouldn't get up in arms about how unsafe hybrids are. Hot water heaters, and even regular car batteries explode. Dr. Pierce is my family doctor, and a very generous and intelligent man.

CNN just reported that the

Surprise, surprise,

Surprise, surprise, surprise. If it hadn't been a hybrid, no one would have said, "Doctor killed by exploding F-150 pickup truck" or "Doctor killed by exploding Mercedes." But when it's a hybrid, gee, suddenly it's GOT to be those batteries or something!

So we have learned two things: 1) hybrids blow up when you explode a bomb in them, and 2) reporters are generally morons.